Five decades of camaraderie after Castle Cup
Team members came from far and wide to attend the event with the team's former manager, Berry Mills travelling from Australia to be there.
CAMARADERIE that has lasted half a century was celebrated as the Maritzburg Football club of yesteryear gathered at the Parkhill Bowling Club in Durban North for the 50th anniversary of their iconic victory in 1969 which saw them conquer Cape Town city and put the Pietermaritzburg club on the map at the National Football League final. Team members came from far and wide to attend the event with the team’s former manager, Berry Mills travelling from Australia to be there.
“We were very much the underdogs when we played Cape Town City. It was a surprise when we won,” said Robbie Davidson, striker for the winning team who hung up his soccer boots in 1975.
“For the city of Pietermaritzburg, it put them on the map,” added Mike James, who played centre back for the team.
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Most of the team members continued to play soccer together into the mid 70s and their customary annual lunch has been a much anticipated event for over ten years.
Billy Mc Gillivray called the win a historic event.
“It was wonderful for Maritzburg. We had supporters who really got behind us. It made history. It’s wonderful to see the players today. We’ve had a great comradeship between both the players and their wives,” he said.
Derek Cowden remembered those members of the team who were not present at the celebration.
“Dave Jefferys, Peter Green, George Jugan and Alan Vaner who were part of the team in 1969, we pay our respects to them,” he said.
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Sunningdale resident, Caroline Geils said the wives and girlfriends of the soccer players have also enjoyed friendships and camaraderie that has spanned the decades since the teams 1969 victory.
“We go back 50 years and we are all still good friends. We socialise together,”she said.
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